Road Trip
by CN Winters
Summary: Nat's gone AWOL to a retreat. Liv starts her 'search' with Doris and Blake lending a hand…kind of. This tale was original written prior to Liv's search in canon.


**Title**: Road Trip  
**Author**: CN Winters  
**Rating**: PG  
**Genre**: Romance  
**Pairing**: Otalia with Doris and Blake in tow  
**Author's Notes**: This is just a little Fic-lett for your amusement that was inspired by some of the posts on the BPD speculator board and it's dedicated to all my fellow 'Merry Band of Spec'ers.' It was written based on spoilers rather than the actual events of GL.  
**Summary**: Nat's gone AWOL to a retreat. Liv starts her 'search' with Doris and Blake lending a hand…kind of.  
**Standard Disclaimer Ahead**: Guiding Light is a product of Proctor & Gamble (like Tide, Charmin and Olay), and appears on CBS at the time of writing this. The characters are the creative property of the show and its producers – I'm just borrowing them for my amusement, and hopefully for those few souls who read this.

**Road Trip**

"You really think you'll find answers here?" Doris asked Olivia as she and Blake stood outside the farmhouse's back door.

"Yeah," Olivia said as she used her key and opened the door.

They stepped inside where it was quiet, except for the eerie clicking of the clock.

"Where to?" Blake asked.

"You two check downstairs; I'll look up." Olivia said before she made her way up the staircase.

Doris idly walked around the living room as she mumbled grumpily, "I don't know what we're even looking for."

Upstairs Olivia went to the Emma's room. She smiled for a brief moment when nothing looked out of place – in fact, it nearly resembled what it looked like when they both lived there. But just as quickly as the smile came, it faded and she left the room.

Next she traveled to her former room, which now held many of Rafe's belongs. It didn't look or feel like hers anymore, yet it didn't feel like his either. There was just an aching void. Her jaw tightened and before she could think about it any longer she left.

She walked further down to Natalia's door and for some reason she paused before entering. As if mustering the will to enter, she swiftly moved inside. She looked around and found nothing out of place. With careful footsteps, she walked to the head of the bed and took a seat.

She pulled Natalia's pillow from under the bedspread, clutching it to her. She inhaled deeply, smelling the scent of Natalia's perfume and shampoo. She held it tighter in response. She probably would have stayed in that position, but Doris's voice floated to the second floor.

"Olivia?" she called out. "Come to the kitchen."

Olivia rounded the corner to see Doris and Blake looking at three brochures.

"Recognize these?" Doris asked as she held them up for Olivia.

She came over and took them from Doris as she leafed through them.

"Retreats," she muttered.

"Chances are she's at one of these places," Blake suggested.

"No," Olivia answered. "Father Ray said he gave her options of where she could go. These are the places she probably rejected. She would have taken the brochure of the place she decided on with her."

Doris snorted. "So where does that leave us?"

Olivia looked behind Doris. "It's gone," she said.

Doris looked back. "What's gone?"

"The picture – me, Natalia and Emma. She took it."

"That's good, right?" Blake asked.

For a moment Olivia didn't answer. "Yeah, probably." She held up the brochures. "Where did you guys find these?"

"Right there," Doris answered as she pointed to where the picture was.

Olivia began to grin. "Time to go to the church."

"Aren't they closed?" Doris asked.

"No, they never close their doors," Olivia answered.

"But didn't Father Ray already say he wouldn't tell you where she went?" Blake asked.

"Yep, and Father Ray probably isn't there. And that's good. Let's go." Olivia waved her brochure-filled hand to have them follow her. "I need a few supplies from the barn first," she added.

XXXX

With screwdriver in hand, Olivia entered the church with Doris and Blake behind her.

"Huh," Doris said looking around. "Last time I was here, I was marrying Natalia." Olivia stopped and turned to look at her. "Or more accurately stated, not marrying her. Of course, you didn't help in that department," she added.

"This way," Olivia said as they followed her to a hallway. They walked a few paces until they came to a door. Olivia tried to turn the knob, but was locked. She put the screwdriver against the door and the frame and raised the mallet.

"What are you doing?" Blake asked in a nervous rush.

Olivia slammed it and pushed back, popping the lock.

"It's called breaking and entering," Doris replied dryly.

Olivia opened the door and motioned for Doris to go in. "Oh no," Doris argued. "You'll have to shove me in like I'm unwilling. If they're video tapping -."

She didn't get a chance to finish before Olivia pushed her forcefully inside making her stumble before she herself followed along. Blake, for her part, tiptoed inside.

"He might have a silent alarm in here so we've got to look fast for brochures to retreats. Start checking all the drawers."

Doris opened a filing drawer door and smiled.

"Bingo!" she announced. Olivia and Blake came over excited to see what she had discovered only to find she held up a Bingo card. "There're chips in here too," she added.

Blake chuckled while Olivia sighed.

"That's it," Olivia warned. "No more 'Naked Gun' jokes."

Doris elbowed Blake and smiled broadly. "Surely she can't be serious!"

Blake started to shake her head as she tried to silently hold in a laugh, but she just couldn't do it. Hearing Blake's snorts Olivia slowly began to turn around to face them.

"She is serious…and don't call me Shirley." Blake was already laughing before she could finish the line with Doris joining in right after. "I'm sorry," Blake apologized through her tears as she held up her hands.

Olivia tried to scold them, but she had to smile too.

"Hey, you didn't say anything about 'Airplane' jokes," Doris defended.

"Guys," Olivia whined. "Are you gonna help me?"

"Yes," Blake said going back to a drawer. "We're helping. We're helping."

Doris opened up a box and reached inside to pull out a cracker. She began to chew and the noise made Blake and Olivia look over.

"What? I'm hungry. I've been on this wild goose chase and I didn't have lunch," Doris replied. "Don't worry, I'm done. These taste awful."

"You're eating the body of Christ," Olivia told her sounding annoyed.

Doris looked around the room. "You see any 'blood' to wash it down with?"

Olivia looked at Blake and rolled her eyes before going behind Father Ray's desk. She found another locked door and once more she pried it open.

"Stealing from a priest, Olivia," Doris tisked. "Shame. Shame. Shame. You're gonna go to hell." Olivia and Blake both did a double take to see Doris now holding up a chalice and taking a sip. "What?" she asked. Then she held it out to Olivia. "Want some?"

Olivia paused a moment and then took the cup. She had a swig and then handed it back. "You know," she began, "with as much money as the Catholic Church makes they could buy a better blood."

"After all this is finished maybe you can set Father Ray up with your supplier at the Beacon," Doris suggested. She took another drink, but then made a dissatisfied face and put it on the desk.

Blake had six brochures. Three matched the ones that Olivia pulled from her back pocket. The three that didn't she drew stars on and took with her.

"This is going to be a bit more complex than we thought," Doris remarked.

Olivia grinned. "Maybe, but now I know where to start the search… Who's with me?"

"I would but I have authors to oversee," Blake replied.

"And I have a city to run," Doris countered.

"Neither of you are helping?" They both looked at each other. "Fine – I see where I stand."

"Look. We'll flip okay? Loser goes with Liv."

"Great to know I'm such a catch," Olivia sighed. "No wonder Natalia ran from me."

Doris took out a quarter and flipped it as she asked Blake, "Heads or tails?"

"Tails," she replied.

Doris revealed the coin to show tails.

Olivia put her arm around Doris shoulder. "Can't you just feel the love?"

"Son of a bitch," Doris sighed.

**The End**


End file.
